Apparatus for heat treatment of metal



March 25, 1941. v E. M. EVLETH 2,236,425

APPARATUS FOR HEAT TBEATIENT OF HETAL Filed Sept. 3. 195'! 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Attorzq March 25, 1941. EVLETH APPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF METAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 3, .1937

March 25, 1941. E. M. EVLETH AYPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF METAL Filed .Sept. s, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 25,1941. E. M.- EVLETH APPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATHENT OP IE TAL Filed se t. 5, 4 smu -shut 4 j [WY/swim ZQTZ JZZYY/Zeik 5 7 @[m 4 Patented Mar. 25, 1941 PATENT oFFicE ArrAaATUsroa nEAT TREATMENT or METAL Earl M. Evleth, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Baaflan-Blessing 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application September 3, 1937, Serial No. 162,307

2 Claims.

This invention relatw to an apparatus for flame hardening or otherwise heattreating metal articles. In the particular form here shown it is adapted for the treatment oi railroad rails or 5 other relatively extended members. It is not, however, limited to this use or association.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus by means of whichthe desired portions of railroad rails may besuccessively heated tocause hardening or other desired change in the metal and may thereafter-be quenched or cooled at a predetermined. time interval and to the desired temperature." Another object is to associate in a single mechanism a heating means and a plurality of separate and spaced cooling and quenching means.

Another object is to provide in connection with the heating means, means for cooling it and, if desired, for preheating the quenching or cooling 20 medium. 7,

Other objects will appear from time to time in the specification andclaims.

The invention is illustrated. more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the device illustrating diagrammatically its mounting upon a vehicle or moving support;

Figure 2 is a plan vview of the apparatus of Fig- 30 me 1;

Figure 3 is a scale, showing the apparatus of Figure 1 with parts in section and parts omitted;

shown in Figure 3, with parts omitted;

Figure 5 is a generally vertical sectional detail taken at line 5-5 of Figure 4; showing the heat-- ing assembly in elevation with parts or the con duits in section; 40 "Figure 6 is an elevation showing the quenching means with parts in section:

Figure '7 is a longitudinal section taken at line 1-1 of Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a side elevation of a rail after treatment. 7

Like parts are designated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

l, I are railroad rails each having a flange 2. The details of the rail form no essential part, 7 the present invention. They may be mounted on ties 3 secured thereto by spikes l and Joined to each other by plate. 5 and bolts I. tion, although illustrated as applied to a railroad rail, might have been applied to any relatively elongated member in which it is desirable to side elevation on" an enlarged Figure 4 is'a partial plan view of the device The invenharden or otherwise heat treat one or more por tions 0! the member.

While the apparatus may be carried by hand it is normally mountedon some moving support which, for convenience, may be mounted to run 5 upon the rail or other member undergoing treatment. As shown in Figure. 1, this vehicle-is indicated by an axle I and a wheel l. The'apparatus is supported from this vehicle by any other desirable supporting or frame members.

In general the heat treating apparatus comprises a heating head 9 and may include cooling or quenching heads II and H. In the dorm shown in the figures, the heating head I includes a portion l2 and a relatively shorter portion ll disposed at a right angle tothe member or portion II. An enlargement or projection I4 is formed preferably on the upper surface of the portion l2. It is provided with an interiorly threaded opening ii to receive a cooling fluid conduit I6 by means'oi' which cooling fluid issupplied from any suitable source. The .valve assembly I! may be positioned in the water conduit Ii to control the passage of water through it.

Ordinarily water is the cheapest and the most readily available and will usually be used but other mediums may be used without departing from the invention.

Formed within the'portion I2 oi the heating head I are a plurality of water passages II which communicate with'water passages ll formed in". the section l3 and with conduit I... A hollow interiorly threaded boss 20 is provided on the side oi the portion I! to receive a water outlet conduit 3 through which water may pass to the cooling or quenching heads II and H. Another hollow interiorly threaded boss 22 may be provided on the enlargement It to receive a plug 23 by means of which it is closed. The conduit 3! may be made as shown in the figures of a rigid pipe and may receive a plug 25 by which it is closed.

In the form of the invention shown, the cooling or more may be used. In the particular form shown the pipe 85 serves not merely as a conduit for the cooling medium but also as a supporting and spacing member for the quenching heads.

In Figures 6 and 7, the quenching heads'are shown. A pipe 3! 1 provided which is secured to the boss and receives cooling fluid from the heating head, conveying it to the cooling or quenching heads. Th pipe is provided with one or more perforations 38. Ordinarily there will be one perforation for each cooling head which is to be used. Aashown in Figures 6 and 7 the cooling heads Ill and i I are each provided with a generally extended horizontal portion 31 and an angularly disposed portion 38. A boss 39 is formed on the horizontal portion 31 and may have integrally with it a hollow tubular portion 40 which fits tightly about the pipe 35 and through which the cooling fluid passes into the distribution passages 4| and 42. From these lead discharge passages 43 through which the cooling medium is discharged upon the rail or other similar member. The shape and size of the tubular section 40 of the cooling head are such as to permit considerable adjustment of the cooling head with respect to the pipe 35 without interrupting the flow of fluid. As shown particularly in Figure 7 the cooling head may be moved back and forth along the pipe 35.a substantial distance and the perforation 38 will still permit discharge of fluid into the tubular section 40 and particularly into the portion 44 of it.

A combustible mixture of gas is supplied to the heating head from almost any desired source. The one shown is intended to be merely illustrative and many other forms may be used.

As shown, a chamber 45 is provided and comprises means for receiving, mixing and discharging a combustible mixture of gas. A pipe or c onduit 46, controlled by a valve 41 supplies acetylene or any other desirable combustible gas or mixture of combustible gases to the chamber and a pipe 48 controlled by a valve 49 supplies oxygen. A tip or connection 50 is joined to the chamber 45 and also to the heating head and carries the gas mixture to the latter. The heating head is provided with an internally threaded opening 5| into which the connection 5|! is threaded. The heating head is also provided with distributing passages 52 and 53 to which gas entering through the connection 5i passes.

As shown particularly in Figures 3 and 4 there may be several of the passages 52 and 53 but these may be limited to one or in fact any desired number of them may be provided. Communicating with-the various passages 52 and 53, however many of these are provided, are outlet passages or openings 54 from which the gas is discharged as at 55.

- that instead of forming a sharply defined case,

the invention and I wish, therefore, that my showing be taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

Particularly, almost any desirable form of supporting or frame mechanism may be used for carrying the apparatus. The particular form shown in Figure 1 is, therefore, to be considered diagrammatically. As there shown, one or more bearing members 51 surround the shaftland support a frame 58 from which two members 59 project outwardly. These members may be of angle shape, as shown, and they are joined by a cross member 60. From the cross member 60, a hanger 6| depends downwardly to engage and support the pipe Ii. 64 and 65 are similar hangers extending downwardly from a cross member 63 and supporting, respectively, the pipes l6 and 35. The particular form of supporting frame is not claimed herein as its details form no essential part of the present invention.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

One important use of the device is that of hardening the ends of a railroad rail which is subjected to pounding. Ordinarily the ends of adjacent railroad rails are separated somewhat from each other. As the wheels of a car or locomotive leave one rail which is slightly separated from the next, they pound or batter the leading end of the adjacent rail. Thus experience has shown that excessive wear and distortion takes place upon the leading ends of rails. In a double track railroad where trains are run only in one direction on a given track, this wear or battering will occur only on one end of each rail. In a single track railroad where trains regularly are run in different directions, it may occur on each end of each rail. Whatever the operating conditions of the railroad, the apparatus of the present invention are useful in hardening that end of the rail, whether it be one or both ends, which is subject to the wear and battering mentioned.

When a rail is 'to be hardened the device is preferably mounted upon a moving support which moves it upon the rails or at a suitable distance from them. The torch is ignited and that portion of the end of the rail which is to be hardened is heated progressively. The heating begins at one end of the zone or portion that is to be heated and is carried out progressively to the other end. As the device is moved along the rail end is heated and thereafter it is quenched, first, with the primary quench carried out for example by the cooling or quenching head i0 and later at a predetermined interval, carried out by the cooling or quenching head II. It will be understood that only one quenching head may be used or any desired number may be used. Whatever the arrangement of water supply to the quenching heads, cooling water is ordinarily passed through the heating head to prevent excess heating and consequent short life and early deterioration of this member.

In ordinary operation, the spacing of the heating head and the one or more cooling heads and the speed with which the device is moved along the rail are all calculated and co-ordinated to produce the desired results and the method thus includes the carryin out of the heating and the successive or quenching steps for a predetermined length of time and at a predetermined speed, and

the time interval between the heating and the one or more quenches is predetermined and is variable because the various parts are adjustable relatively to each other. The driving means for moving the vehicle which carries the apparatus is ordinarily said to move automatically at. that speed best calculated to carry out the predetermined heating and quenching cycle.

I claim:

1. In combination in a heat treating apparatus, a heating head, a plurality of gas passages arranged in said heating head, means for supplying gas to said passages, a plurality of gas outlet openings from each of said passages, a plurality of cooling medium passages formed in said head, an inlet for said cooling passages, an outlet from said cooling passages, and a quenching head spaced away from said heating head, a support for said quenching head, said quenching head including a passage for a cooling medium, and discharge openings from said passage to the exterior of said quenching head, and a connection from the cooling medium passage of said heating head to said quenching head, the support for said quenching head comprising a cooling medium conduit connected with the cooling medium passages of said heating head, said quenching head including a hollow elongated portion embracing said support and forming in part a fluid passage between said support and the cooling medium passage within saidquenching head, and a perforation in said support in communication with said elongated portion of said cooling head, the said perforation being smaller than the length of said elongated portion whereby the cooling head may be adjusted longitudinally of said support while maintaining a communication from interior of said support through said perforation, and through said elongated portion of said head into the cooling fluid passages of said head.

2. In combination in a heat treating apparatus,

a heating head comprising a pair of angularly disposed portions, a plurality of gas passages generally parallel toeach other, arranged in said heating head, means for supplying gas to said passages, a plurality of gas outlet openings from each of said passages, a plurality of cooling medium passages formed in said head, an inlet for said coolingpassages, an outlet therefrom, and a plurality of quenching heads spaced away from said heating head,'a unitary support for said heads, each of said quenching heads including a passage for a cooling medium, and discharge openings from each said passage to the exterior of said quenching heads, and a connection' from the cooling medium passage of said heating head to one of said quenching heads, the support for said quenching heads comprising a cooling medium conduit connected with the cooling medium passages of said heating head, said' quenching heads including a hollow elongated portion embracing said support and forming in part a fluid passage between said support and the cooling medium passage within said quenching head, and a perforation in said support in communication with said elongated portion of said cooling head, the said perforation being smaller than the length of said elongated portion whereby the cooling head may be adjusted longitudinally of said support while maintaining a communication from interior of said support through said perforation, and through said elongated portion of said head into the cooling fluid passages of said head, and means for retaining said cooling head in adjusted position upon said support. EARL M. EVLETH. 

